An argument can be made that the Green Bay Packers would be playing the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship Game this weekend if it weren’t for kicker Anders Carlson.
Fair or not, the franchise wasted little time bringing in competition for the starting job, signing Jack Podlesny on Wednesday, January 24. Podlesny earned first-team All-SEC honors at the University of Georgia in 2022 and also won the SEC Special Teams Player of the Year Award, connecting on 26-of-31 field goal tries and 73-of-74 extra point attempts.
Still, it was Carlson — who also kicked in the Southeastern Conference for the University of Auburn — the Packers selected in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL draft (No. 207 overall).
Meanwhile, Podlesny went undrafted and ultimately landed with the Minnesota Vikings. He signed a contract with the team on April 30, per Pro Football Reference, though the Vikings cut the 23-year-old partway through the preseason on August 17.
Anders Carlson Struggled in Rookie Year With Green Bay Packers
GettyKicker Anders Carlson of the Green Bay Packers kicks a field goal during an NFC Divisional Playoff Game against the San Francisco 49ers in January 2024.
Green Bay’s choice to draft a kicker at all was somewhat curious, though Carlson has the benefit of an older brother — Daniel Carlson — who has been a successful placekicker with the Las Vegas Raiders for six seasons and earned first-team All-Pro honors following the 2022 campaign.
